Abstract: A vacuum coated, liquid impermeable, vapor permeable laminate article and a method for making same are disclosed. The laminate may be formed of a netting material which is coated with a thin layer of vapor permeable polymer and subsequently passed over a vacuum forming drum to draw the polymer coating downward into the openings in the netting material. Vacuum coating produces thinned regions in the coating layer which provide greater vapor permeability. In laminates with sufficiently large openings in the netting material, the coating may directly contact a vacuum forming screen resulting in a plurality small indentations or cells within a single thinned region of the liquid impervious coating further increasing vapor permeability.

Abstract: A coextruded multilayer film laminate featuring a polyolefin based formulation which closely matches the mechanical performance criteria of a plasticized PVC film is disclosed. This film is particularly suitable for use as a replacement film for plasticized PVC in a variety of medical and non-medical applications. The multilayer films of the present invention offer a particular set of mechanical properties, normally associated with plasticized PVC, including easy stretch, high degree of recovery, low fatigue and minimal permanent set. Moreover, these polyolefin based formulations do not contain any known or suspected carcinogenic compounds and may be produced at costs that are highly competitive with the costs associated with a conventional, plasticized PVC film.

Abstract: An improved masking film provides an adequate level of protection to relatively smooth surfaces by providing an adjustable and controlled level of adhesion between the masking film and the surface to be protected without the use of corona treatment or an adhesive under a variety of production and application conditions. The use of various copolymers, comonomers, and blends and percentages thereof, allows for control of the adhesion level produced between the improved masking film and the substrate surface to be protected. Using the improved masking film of the present invention, the masking film can be customized for a set of production conditions and desire application and will remain removably adhered to the substrate following a heat-loading process such as thermoforming, drape-forming or heat-bending.